Creatures from the Deep

The ship Okeanos Explorer, a U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) research vessel, ventured to the Sulawesi Sea near Indonesia in the summer 2010. The deep waters there were largely unexplored. Along with Baruna Jaya IV, an Indonesian ship, Okeanos mapped almost 40,000 square kilometers of deep sea floor. Using a remotely operated vehicle known as Little Hercules, crew members also captured high-resolution video of what lives in those waters. Many of these creatures have yet to be identified. This issue’s Sightings features an interview with NOAA’s chief scientist for the mission, Stephan Hammond, and some of the resulting images. Here we offer a slide show of more images of deep-sea life encountered off Indonesia. (All photographs are courtesy of NOAA Okeanos Explorer Program, INDEX-SATAL 2010.)